The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) is the most recognised theatre company in the world.
Our inspiration and touchstone as a company is rooted in Shakespeare’s restless and unparalleled exploration of human nature. We create work by our house playwright and the best living writers of today that is both classic and daring, accessible and astute; and we share it with as many people as possible across the globe.
Annually, we welcome c.1,100,000 people to our productions including 500,000 children and young people engaged through our life-changing Creative Learning programmes in schools and communities around the UK. Our audiences are international, with large swathes from The USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, Ireland and France in particular. Our international tours reach audiences on six continents: a testament to the broad appeal the RSC holds to many.
Our creative work is artist-led, resonant and daring, made with the most exciting, diverse artists from across the UK and the world. We are driven to create work with partners and artists who reflect our mission: to bring people together to experience stories that deepen our understanding of ourselves, each other and the world around us, and bring joy.
The RSC was awarded IRO status in 2021 and is currently the only performing arts organisation with that status. Our vision for research is driven by the following themes:
1) Social impact and value – working with the arts and cultural sector, educators and communities to develop ways in which we can measure, evidence and communicate the difference the performing arts make on a wide range of social issues.
2) The future of cultural practice - innovations in how we make and share artist-led work; how artists and the cultural sector shape the development of emerging technologies; how audiences experience and interact with content; and how emerging innovations change the making and distribution of content.
3) Talent fulfilment and opportunity development – a focus on young people as employees, audiences, collaborators and artists, exploring and dismantling barriers to their employment and engagement, particularly with young people from backgrounds under-represented in the arts and cultural sectors.
4) New forms of inclusive Shakespeare scholarship and theatre practice - with a particular focus on social justice, equity, inclusion. For example, overcoming class-based barriers to ownership of Shakespeare's work.
5) Global and local connectivity – the kinds of radical infrastructure and systems changes required to build equity and sustainability. From the systemic changes required across the arts and cultural sector ecology to enable change to the transport infrastructure requirements that enable access to work and participation for all.
Principles of co-production and co-creation are at the heart of our work with communities across the UK and also define our approach to research.
Image credit: Johan Persson